The present invention relates to a washing and recycling unit and a method for on-site washing of heavy machinery. The unit may be mobile or fixed at the site and is particularly useful for washing forestry equipment, such as tractors.
Forestry vehicles and machinery usually become very dirty with mud, motor oil, hydraulic oil, grease and/or other flammable contaminants. If these are not properly washed on a regular basis, there is a risk that the contaminants may suddenly ignite, leading to the destruction of these expensive equipment or even causing devastating forest fires. For that reason, insurance companies particularly require that forest vehicles be washed regularly to reduce the risks associated with this kind of fire hazard.
The traditional method of washing forestry equipment consists of using a hose connected to a pump that is supplied by a fire hydrant, a pressurized washer or a nearby stream or river.
One of the major disadvantages of the traditional method resides in the contamination of the environment as the dirty wash water spills on the ground and infiltrates into rivers and lakes. Furthermore, the traditional method uses of large amounts of water, typically around 300 to 350 liters.
Another method of washing forestry vehicles is to wait for a time period where the machine is not in use and take it to a garage where it is washed with pressurized jet stream of water. However, such a method uses enormous amounts of fresh water, typically around 9000 liters. Furthermore, there is no recycling of the used water and contaminants washed off the forestry vehicles eventually end up in sewer systems. Also, as this washing of the machine cannot be done regularly on the forest site, this increases the chances of fire hazard and of polluting the environment.
Commercial car and truck washing has become a focus of public concern and government regulation recently over the disposal of used wash water into municipal sewer systems or directly into the ground. The combination of oil, water, soap, dirt and other chemicals in the used wash water can be harmful to the environment if allowed to drain into a sewer or seep into the earth.
Known in the art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,669,982 and 5,560,782 (LATIMER), which show mobile washers for washing cars, trucks and other types of machinery on site. These washers are equipped with water treatment systems. Typically the trucks are self-sufficient in that they contain all the equipment needed for the cleaning purposes, for instance, water reservoir, soap injector, sprayers, hoses, a nacelle or carriage and a drainage receptacle. During the washing, the used water is drained onto the drainage receptacle and forwarded back inside the washer in order to be recycled. U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,339 (LATIMER) shows an apparatus for treating articles with wash water. A wash pad made of three unconnected portions (one center portion and two side portions) is used.
The water treatment systems taught by LATIMER are however not adapted to clean grease and hydrocarbon contaminants; they are intended to remove sand or salt particles. The efficiency of the recycling process is therefore limited, and more clean water is required, which may be inconvenient in remote places where no or little water is available. Furthermore, no pads are provided for covering the wheels of the vehicle. Hence, the polluted water falling on the wheels directly seeps in the ground, which is damageable for the environment.
One of the problems encountered in washing forestry or heavy vehicles is the danger that is posed to an operator who directs his washing hose toward the vehicle as he or she climbs thereon with the possible consequence of falling, causing grave injuries or even death.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a water recycling unit that is designed to maximize the recycling of the water used for washing machinery and to minimize water losses.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a water recycling unit which is safer to operate when the operator climbs onto the machinery to be washed.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a water recycling unit which highly decontaminates the used liquid falling off dirty machinery.
According to the present invention, there is provided a washing and recycling unit for on-site washing of heavy machinery, comprising:
a supporting frame;
a washing liquid storage tank mounted onto the supporting frame for storage of washing liquid;
a washing hose arrangement connected to the tank, for injecting the washing liquid over the heavy machinery;
a drainage receptacle adapted to extend under the heavy machinery, for collecting used liquid mixture falling from the heavy machinery derived from the washing liquid being injected thereover;
a suction hose arrangement for sucking up the used liquid mixture from the drainage receptacle;
a cyclone mounted onto the supporting frame and connected to the suction hose arrangement for receiving the used liquid mixture and separating rough solids from liquids contained in the used liquid mixture;
a settling tank mounted onto the supporting frame and under the cyclone;
a pump and filtering arrangement mounted onto the supporting frame and extending between the settling tank and the washing liquid storage tank for pumping out and filtering liquid from the settling tank and transferring the liquid into the washing liquid storage tank; and
a hoisting means mounted onto the supporting frame, for movably supporting an operator directing the washing liquid around the heavy machinery.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a method of on-site washing of heavy machinery, comprising steps of:
placing a drainage receptacle under the heavy machinery for collecting used liquid mixture falling from the heavy machinery;
injecting washing liquid over the heavy machinery using a washing hose arrangement connected to a washing liquid storage tank;
sucking up the used liquid mixture from the drainage receptacle using a suction hose arrangement connected to a cyclone separating rough solids from liquids contained in the used liquid mixture, the cyclone extending over a settling tank; and
pumping out and filtering liquid from the settling tank and transferring the liquid into the washing liquid storage tank.